


Ready As I'll Ever Be

by Avery_Kedavra



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Anxiety | Virgil Sanders is a Sweetheart, Anxiety | Virgil Sanders-centric, Fluff and Humor, Food mention, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Logic | Logan Sanders Is A Good Friend, Morality | Patton Sanders is a Sweetheart, Smitten Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders, Spoilers for new ep!! Post-FWSA, Stimming, Sympathetic Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders, Sympathetic Deceit | Janus Sanders, some nsfw and gory jokes/imagery courtesy of Remus, this is so fluffy, with a dash of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-13
Updated: 2020-10-13
Packaged: 2021-03-08 02:21:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,662
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26988151
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Avery_Kedavra/pseuds/Avery_Kedavra
Summary: After Roman and Virgil retreat to the common room to gush about Thomas’ new date, they have to confront the other Sides and their growing worry. Because maybe they’re not ready for this, after all.
Relationships: Anxiety | Virgil Sanders & Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders, Anxiety | Virgil Sanders & Deceit | Janus Sanders, Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders & Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders, Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders & Deceit | Janus Sanders, Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders & Logic | Logan Sanders, Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders & Deceit | Janus Sanders, Deceit | Janus Sanders & Morality | Patton Sanders, Nico Flores/Thomas Sanders
Comments: 32
Kudos: 280





	Ready As I'll Ever Be

**Author's Note:**

> It’s late, this might be incoherent, here you go! Thanks to @becca-becky for the support and Remus jokes! I just needed some more happy Sides, and it kind of turned into hurt/comfort at the end, but I still like it!
> 
> You can find me on Tumblr at @averykedavra!

It was quiet in the Mindscape when Roman and Virgil appeared. But not for long.

“--and maybe we should get him flowers, red ones, bring them to the first date--”

“We haven’t gotten a date yet,” Virgil reminded Roman, flopping onto the couch and pulling a pillow to his chest. “Well, a date _for_ the date.”

Roman perched on the top of the couch and pouted. “He said he wanted to!”

“He said he wanted to,” Virgil agreed, his mouth twitching in a smile once again.

“So it’s as good as given!” Roman beamed, waving his hands in circles. “Besides, flowers don’t have to wait for a date!”

“What do you suggest,” Virgil asked, “toss them in his mailbox?”

Roman drew himself up. “Yes!”

“We don’t know where he lives!”

“We could find out!”

Virgil smirked. “Creepy.”

“Romantic!” Roman placed a hand on his chest in affronted indignation, but his smile was still wide. “ _You_ just don’t understand love. We place the roses--roses? Roses--the roses in his mailbox, along with a note of our undying affection--”

Virgil huffed and started tugging at the edge of the pillow to work out the bubbly energy in his hands. “Undying affection?”

“Yes! He has agreed to a date, and therefore we must _woo_ him!”

“Sure.” Virgil tossed the pillow at Roman’s face. Roman batted it away with ease. “Look, Princey, I know glass houses and all, but you need to relax.”

“I am relaxed!” Roman screeched. “Perfectly relaxed!”

“Sure,” Virgil said again, grabbing another pillow and worrying it between his hands. Roman was rocking back and forth on the couch now, kicking his legs out, muttering something about “learning the language of flowers so he can convey the message that they are soulmates, bound by destiny.”

“Relax,” Virgil said again, his voice going softer than he intended. “He’ll like us anyway--actually, he’ll probably like Thomas _more_ if he doesn’t send him flowers like a stalker.”

Roman threw back his head and glared at Virgil with no real anger. Virgil scrunched up his nose.

“I want to woo him,” Roman complained, crossing his arms petulantly and balancing even more precariously on the top of the couch.

“You don’t have to,” Virgil said.

“I want to!” Roman waved a hand in a complex motion. “Why would he buy what we’re selling if we don’t woo him? Where’s the _fun?_ Why would he--if we’re not trying to impress him, what if he--”

“Hey.” Virgil sat up and gave Roman a little smile. “He’s--it’ll be okay. Don’t worry about it.”

Roman laughed. “ _You’re_ telling me--”

“Yeah, yeah, laugh it up.” Virgil threw another pillow at Roman and realized he’d run out of pillows to fidget with. He settled for shifting his weight back and forth and shaking his fists.

“He’ll like us anyway,” Roman said, and Virgil hadn’t heard him sound like this ever since--ever since their ex wasn’t their ex. Soft and fragile and delicate and so...loving. “He _likes_ us.”

“He likes us,” Virgil repeated, a smile spreading over his own face, unbidden. He’d never _felt_ like this ever since their ex. Bubbly and shaky and popping at the edges like fireworks. Sparkles and rainbows and all sorts of stuff that was seriously not his brand. This shouldn’t be safe, this should be setting off every alarm he had, throwing him into panic.

Instead he was just smiling. Smiling like he’d never done anything else. Hands flapping and knees hitting each other and breathless in the best possible way.

Not love, of course. Not yet. But a chance at it.

A chance that Virgil hoped they’d take.

“He likes us, Virgil!” Roman squealed, falling over the back of the couch to land in a pile on the one remaining cushion. He adjusted his sash and let his head droop to the floor, giving Virgil an upside-down smile. “He’s so _cute_ , and _nice_ , and _funny_ , and _smart_ \--”

“And supportive,” Virgil added despite himself. “Thought it was cool that Thomas makes videos--”

“His song! The one he showed Thomas!” Roman placed a hand on his heart and sighed. “Pure music.”

Virgil blushed harder. “U-um. You know what--we could probably--duets. We could--”

“Oh my flipping goodness.” Roman’s eyes somehow widened even further. “Oh my _hecking heck_ , by the alluring song of the seductive siren, Virgil, _we could do duets with him_.”

“We could!” Virgil grinned wildly. “We could sing--sing from--”

His words were getting jumbled. He shook his hands more and bobbed his head, trying to settle all the bubbly feelings. Too many thoughts, and not in the usual overwhelming way--like they were all clamoring for attention and squeezing into every space in his brain. He couldn’t stop thinking, remembering Nico’s smile and twinkling eyes and the exact cadence of his voice. He couldn’t stop _beaming_.

“Sing from what?” Roman asked when Virgil’s dissolved into a few hums and silence.

“Nightmare Before Christmas,” Virgil said. “You know--”

Roman gasped and Virgil swore he saw stars in his eyes. “Oh my goodness! Thomas and Nico need to do that _right now_ , immediately.”

“I know,” Virgil said, “right?”

“I _know_ ,” Roman said, “ _right?”_

They were quiet for a few seconds, grinning at each other, then Roman chuckled and Virgil snickered and they dissolved into giggles. Virgil rocked back and forth, cupping his mouth. Roman did a whole-body shimmy that made him slip further off the couch.

“You look ridiculous,” Virgil managed between snickers.

“How dare you.” Roman stuck out his tongue and tried to maneuver himself back onto the couch, only managing to hit his head on the ground. Virgil laughed even harder and Roman laughed too, sash rumpled and eyes wide, looking at Virgil like Virgil was the reason he looked so happy. Like Virgil had done something right.

Well, Virgil _had_. Apparently.

He’d made this happen.

He’d put this smile on Roman’s face.

How was he supposed to calm down and stop laughing when he’d done _that?_

“Nico,” Roman sang, riffing so much it ran through two or three octaves. “Nico, Nico, Nico _Flores_.”

“Composing a ballad for the occasion?”

“As a matter of fact, yes!” Roman wrinkled his nose. “Nothing rhymes with Flores.”

“Bores.” Virgil leaned back and rested his head on the arm of the couch, still shaking his hands out. “Snores.”

“No, no, it’s Flor- _es_.”

“Snore- _es_.”

“He’s not a snore!” Roman retorted. “He’s--he’s perfect.”

“Nah, nobody’s perfect.” Virgil sighed in a sickeningly sappy way. “He’s ours, though.”

“He’s ours,” Roman agreed.

For a second, there was blissful silence, save for Virgil’s happy hums.

“Nico,” Roman sang again, this time sliding up and down the scale. “ _Nicoooo_ \--”

“Stop,” Virgil said, not really caring too much but feeling he should try and be a _little_ cynical and bitter to offset all the soppiness. Roman stopped immediately. “At least have a tune,” Virgil amended.

“Nico,” Roman sang to the tune of Can You Feel The Love Tonight. “Nico, oh lovely Nico, light of my life, my eternal soul--”

“Please tell me you won’t actually sing this to him.”

“I promise nothing.” Roman waved his hands around more energetically. “Nico, dearest Nico, lovely one--”

“Doesn’t have a tune anymore,” Virgil said, grinning. “You lost it.”

“I’m _improvising_ , Dull Out Boy.” Roman snickered. “ _Nico_ , you’re very cool, would you like to come to France--”

“We can’t go to France--”

“But picture it!“ Roman spread his hands. “Soft candlelight, the starry skies over the city, the rush of cars below as the wind whips our hair, a scrumptious meal spread over the tablecloth, his eyes shining as we eat atop the Eiffel Tower--”

“Whoa, hold on, _what?”_ Virgil waved his hands. “You can’t eat on top of the--plus that’s like _really_ high up--”

“Fine, then, we’ll just be _looking_ at the Eiffel Tower.” Roman pulled his hands to his chest and squealed. “Nico though!”

“Nico though,” Virgil agreed. “You’re a sap.”

“ _You’re_ a sap.”

“I’m not.” Virgil felt a need to defend himself. “We’re all wired up ‘cause of this. We’re _parts_ of Thomas.”

“True.” Roman laughed. “I bet Specs is completely fine, though.”

“Why?” Virgil asked.

“Well, you know, he’s--” Roman looked more uncomfortable with every word. He petered out with a weak wave of his hands.

“I’m _Anxiety_ and _I’m_ head over heels,” Virgil said. “He’s probably a mess just like you and me.”

“You’re head over heels?” Roman asked, grinning even wider.

“What--” Virgil spluttered. “I mean-- _yeah_ , I thought it was obvious--Thomas is--”

“And _you’re_ \--” Roman wriggled closer. “You like him.”

“Yeah, duh?”

“You like him!” Roman laughed triumphantly. “I _knew_ it!”

Virgil snickered. “You agreeing with me isn’t, like, a win for you,”

“You like him!” Roman repeated once more. “You don’t like anyone! And you--you like him!”

“Um, yeah.” Virgil flushed and rubbed at the back of his neck. “He’s, um--pretty cool.”

“You’re such a softie,” Roman said, shaking his head.

“Roman,” Virgil complained.

“Oh, was that--” Roman’s smile fell. “I didn’t mean to--was that the wrong thing to say?”

“I--” Virgil jerked upright. “No. Dude. I’m acting silly over this guy. It--it’s fine.”

And, he realized, it kind of was. Just for today. Virgil was a bit soft today, and only Roman could see, and that was alright for now. Virgil was riding high, over the moon, every stupid metaphor in the book. Virgil’s guard was all the way down.

He’d regret this later. Obviously. But hindsight was 20/20 and right now he was enjoying the moment.

“I like him,” Virgil said, blushing but keeping his chin up. “It’s fine.”

“Yeah,” Roman said, smiling back. “So do I.”

“I’ve heard.”

“Hey!” Roman rolled his eyes. “You’re just mad because my song moved you to tears.”

“Tears of laughter, yeah.” Virgil grinned. “Ask Logan for help, he’s better with the rhymes.”

“He’d mock me!” Roman complained. “He wouldn’t understand the love behind every word!”

“Hey, like I said, we’re all sunny and whatnot.” Virgil shrugged. “It’s probably your best chance, if I’m being honest.”

Roman tapped his chin. “No time like the present, right?”

“What?” Virgil’s eyes widened. “I dunno if that’s a good--”

“Specs!” Roman called, waving a hand. “Get in here, we need your help!”

Virgil scrambled into a sitting position and tucked his hands under his legs. Just in time. Logan rose up next to the stairs, notebook in hand, a pen tucked behind his ear and his tie slightly lopsided. His hair was fluffed up a bit around his forehead and he rubbed at his eyes as he turned around to blink at Roman and Virgil.

“Sup,” Virgil said, feeling suddenly a lot less confident. He betted his eyeshadow had gone back to black.

“Specs!” Roman cried, grinning. “Why, hello!”

“What do you need?” Logan asked, folding his notebook to his chest and giving Roman a cool glare. “I’m busy.”

“I need your help!”

“You--” Logan looked taken aback for a second. “With what?”

Roman spread his arms. “Words!”

“Could you be more specific?”

“Words for our precious prince!” Roman paused. “Not _me_ , but, you know, _him_. Well, me too, since I’m making the words, they’re just not _addressed_ to me--”

Logan blinked. “ _What_ are you talking about it?”

“Oh, he doesn’t--” Roman jumped up and waved his hands. “So! Specs, you’re seriously not gonna believe this--”

“Let me tell it,” Virgil interrupted. “So, we were at the mall--”

“--there was this guy, and he was a ten out of ten--no, eleven or twelve, beyond numbers--”

“--Thomas was being an idiot like usual--”

“--fake with a plastic plant--”

“--guy came out of the bathroom stall--”

“--carrots are still vile and villainous--”

“--and I encouraged his stupidity for some reason--”

“--and _now_ we have a date!”

Logan didn’t look enlightened by their frantic explanation, probably because they were talking over each other excitedly, Virgil starting to flap again and Roman bouncing on his heels.

“Date!” Roman squealed. “ _Date_ , Logan. His name’s Nico and he’s so wonderful and--”

“You realize I know all this?” Logan said slowly. “I’m _also_ a part of Thomas.”

“Oh.” Roman stared at Logan. “Oh, right.”

“But you’re not--” Virgil didn’t know how to explain it. Logan looked _normal_. Kind of pissy, actually. Not like he’d been affected at all--well, maybe Roman was right. Maybe Logic wasn’t affected. He’d been affected with Thomas’ ex, though--did that mean their attraction to Nico wasn’t as full--did that mean there was something _wrong_ \--

C’mon, Virgil. In and out. This wasn’t worry time. Not yet.

“Aren’t you _excited?_ ” Roman finished. “We have a date!”

“You seem to be covering the excited portion of things,” Logan said cooly. “Besides, it’s not like we haven’t been here before.”

“He’s so _cool_ though!” Roman burst out, rocking on the balls of his feet. “And smart, and he writes _poetry_ , I know you’d appreciate that--”

“I _know_ \--” Logan tensed a bit. “Poetry?”

“Poetry!” Roman squealed, doing a little twirl on the carpet. “ _Poetry_ , Specs, he’s a _poet!_ ”

“Huh.” Logan coughed a bit, and Virgil saw a bit of red on his cheeks. “Well, I--didn’t notice that part. That’s--adequate, I suppose.”

“Way more than _adequate!_ ” Roman spun again, arms wide. “Spiffing and spectacular and supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!”

"Whatever you say.” Logan backed towards the door. “I still am busy, though, so if you’ll excuse me--”

“No, come on, celebrate with us!” Roman darted forward and grabbed Logan’s arm. “You can’t seriously say you’re not happy for Thomas!”

“Of course I’m not,” Logan said, removing Roman’s hand from his sleeve. “I don’t feel happiness.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah, but _love_.” Roman batted his eyes. “ _True_ love. How can you scorn it?”

“We’ve known him for less than a day.”

“A wondrous day! Calooh calay!” Roman spun back over to Virgil. “Emo Nightmare knows what I mean.”

“He does?” Logan blinked at Virgil as if registering him for the first time. That made sense. Roman was good at stealing the spotlight. Virgil squirmed under Logan’s gaze, giving him a little salute. “I would assume you were nervous.”

“Well, now that you _say_ it--” Virgil huffed and leaned back into the couch. “This is--cool. He’s--cool. I don’t mind.”

“Huh,” Logan said again.

“See, even our favorite gloomy goober is on board!” Roman clasped his hands in front of his chest. “ _Please_ , Specs, can’t you give us your seal of approval?”

“I cannot give you a seal,” Logan said, “surely you could summon one if it was necessary--”

“Wrong seal.” Roman pursed his lips and widened his eyes. “Pretty please?”

Logan’s mouth curled into an incredulous wince. “Don’t. Please don’t do that. Ever again.”

“Aww.”

“Look, I don’t see why you need me to condone any of this,” Logan said, waving a hand. “It’s already happened. You both seem excited. _Logic_ plays no role in these proceedings. It’s clear that my endorsement of this would mean absolutely nothing.”

“To Thomas, maybe,” Virgil said, working up the nerve to address the wrongness he felt welling up. “To us, though--”

“It’d mean we’re doing the right thing,” Roman finished, his voice quiet. “You’re the smart one, right? You’d know if this was--a mistake.”

“Oh,” Logan said softly. “Oh, I see.”

Virgil pulled at his sleeve, avoiding Logan’s gaze.

“So,” Roman said, the word drawn out and fragile. “What do you think of him?”

Logan took a deep breath. “I don’t know what you want me to tell you.”

Virgil’s hands twisted tighter around his sleeve.

“You already know that I believe Thomas has far too many acquaintances,” Logan continued, looking like he hated every word that came out of his mouth. “A new romantic relationship, despite being the end goal of some humans, would distract him even more. Not only with time spent, but also with emotional capacity.”

Roman frowned. “Yeah, but--”

“It will make my job ten times harder,” Logan said, starting to pace back and forth. “Logic will be figuratively overwhelmed by hormones and _feelings_ , and schedules will be harder to maintain. And what if he affects our future goals? We have a solid career and this could jeopardize it, as a public figure an ill-advised relationship could have serious consequences--”

“Lo?” Virgil asked.

“And don’t get me started on the--ugh-- _emotional_ ramifications.” Logan ran his hand through his hair. “Are we ready for a relationship at this scale? What if we aren’t compatible? Most relationships do not last forever, and we would have to navigate yet _another_ heartbreak, which would send Patton into turmoil and once again rob me of any sort of control. With Thomas as fragile as he is, emotionally, it’s a loaded choice to dive into _another_ situation that could make or break his self-esteem--”

“Logan!”

Logan jerked his head up. Roman’s eyes were wide and he’d stopped bouncing.

“I--” Logan took a breath and smoothed his tie. “Apologies. I seem to have--upset you.”

“Don’t,” Virgil said. “I’ve been thinking all that stuff too. It’s fine.”

“And that’s not what I asked,” Roman said. “I asked what you think of _him_.”

“Him?”

“Nico.”

“Nico,” Logan repeated, and Virgil swore he heard a dip in Logan’s voice. “Nico, he’s--he seems like an upstanding citizen and a good fit for Thomas.”

“Boring,” Roman teased. “Try again.”

“He’s--he’s financially stable to a degree--”

“Try again.”

Logan groaned and rubbed his nose. “Roman, you’re being insufferable--”

“I want to know what _you_ think,” Roman said, his voice achingly soft. “Not Nico’s Pokemon stats.”

“Nerd,” Virgil mumbled.

“Punk,” Roman fired back.

“He’s--” Logan took one more shaky breath, drawing Virgil and Roman’s attention again. “He’s a poet.”

“Yeah,” Roman agreed, a smile poking at his lips.

“He understands music theory,” Logan said, his voice stronger. He tapped his foot on the ground. “He held up an entire conversation about lyrics and diction, and he clearly understands the subtleties of creating an effective song.”

“Yeah,” Virgil said, grinning. “And he let Thomas talk--”

“He let Thomas talk!” Logan agreed. His hand was tapping in time with his foot now. “Even when Thomas was incorrect, he was kind about it, and Thomas was able to teach him things too--he said Thomas was smart--”

“He said Thomas was _smart!_ ” Roman gushed, fists balled under his chin.

“ _He’s_ smart!” Logan burst out, eyes wide and his hands flying. “He’s smart and he’s capable and he has all sorts of knowledge and we could _learn_ things from him, so many things, and he’d _let_ us--”

Logan trailed off with a wild squeak and a shimmy of his fists, pretty close to Roman’s bouncing. He was flushed, eyes sparkling, and the corners of his lips were definitely turned up. Logan was _smiling_. Just a bit. And that made every doubt in Virgil’s stomach disappear.

“You like him,” Virgil breathed, because he had to make sure.

“I--” Logan looked self-conscious. “Yes. I like him a lot.”

“Specs approves!” Roman declared, rushing up and grabbing Logan’s hands, pulling him in a circle. “Today is indeed a glorious day--oh, did you see part of his song--”

“The lyrics were extremely well-crafted,” Logan agreed, his voice brighter than Virgil had heard in weeks, his smile growing wider as Roman spun him around and around.

“You _like_ him!” Roman gasped, beaming. “You _like_ him, Specs--”

“Yes!” Logan burst out, and his smile turned into a grin. “ _Yes_ , I _do_ , he’s _wonderful_ \--”

“He’s wonderful!” Roman echoed, still pulling Logan around the room in a makeshift dance. Logan allowed himself to be led, giggling under his breath, hair falling over his forehead and eyes shining.

“We did it, guys,” Virgil couldn’t help but say, shaking his fists once again. “We did it, we did it--we have a _date_ \--”

“A _date_ , and all thanks to you!” Roman swept over and offered a hand. Virgil took it hesitantly and Roman tugged him gently to the middle of the living room. No twirling, but Roman’s huge smile made Virgil just as breathless as if he’d been tugged around. “A date, a _date_ , oh, I’m so excited--”

“I didn’t do much,” Virgil protested, grinning.

“Didn’t do _much?_ ” Roman repeated as if Virgil had insulted another Disney movie. “You did _everything!_ ”

“There was a problem, and you solved it.” Logan leaned over to Virgil and squeezed his hand, and if pressed, Virgil would never admit how his eyeshadow deepened. “Thank you, Virgil.”

“He’s so flustered!” Roman teased, and Virgil stuck out his tongue and pressed closer to Logan’s side.

“Your eyeshadow,” Logan murmured. “Virgil, it’s--”

“Sparkly? Yeah.” Virgil bit his lip. “You know. Tingly feeling after achieving something you didn’t believe was possible.”

“It looks _heavenly_ on you!” Roman clapped his hands. “Now I want some sparkly makeup, hold on--”

“Focus, Roman,” Logan said fondly.

“Focus on what?”

“I don’t know, whatever you wanted from me originally?”

“Which was--” Roman blinked several times and stuck out his tongue in concentration. “Hmm.”

“Heh.” Virgil elbowed him. “Poetry?”

“Poetry!” Roman twirled. “My good nerd, you understand the need for an epic aria to commemorate this day, correct?”

“I--” Logan raised his eyebrows. “What?”

“And I’m struggling with the rhymes and the reasons.” Roman clasped Logan’s hands to his chest. “I beseech thee, provide me with words that do justice to his wonder!”

“Effervescent,” Logan said automatically. “Vivacious. Pulchritudinous.”

“I have no idea how to rhyme any of those, but it’s a start!” Roman pulled Logan to the couch and tossed himself onto one end. Logan sat at the other end, kicking up a leg on the armrest and already scribbling in his notebook. Virgil took his time sitting on the floor next to them, enjoying just seeing his idiots getting along, swapping rhymes and smiling widely and already spreading bits of paper on the floor.

It was freaking awesome.

So of course it couldn’t last.

In the middle of a long monologue from Logan about the pros and cons of using iambic pentameter, which both Virgil and Roman were dutifully listening to, a bloody heart sailed through the air and smacked Roman in the face.

“Ew!” Roman cried, wiping blood off his cheek. “That’s _vile_ , Remus!”

“You were looking for metaphors, right?” Remus appeared next to Virgil with a manic grin on his face and a notable cavity where his heart should be. “Thomas would tear out his _heart_ for him.”

“Put it back in,” Roman pleaded, shoving the heart at Remus and covering his eyes. “Put it back in.”

“Wow, Ro, you really don’t understand love.” Remus reluctantly popped the heart into his chest, and with a sickening squelch, the skin grew back. “It was beautiful and poetic and you’re sleeping on it.”

“Just because a metaphor would work well in-poem doesn’t mean it fits literally,” Logan said. “What are you doing here?”

“Yeah, we’re busy,” Virgil said, hunching up his shoulders. “I don’t have time for your stupid attention games today.”

“Rude!” Remus complained, scrunching up his nose. “This is a special occasion, calm your tits.”

“A special what now?” Virgil groaned. “Oh no, did you stab Patton again?”

“No, you’d hear the screams.” Remus shimmied. “Thomas has a boyf!”

“They are not officially partners,” Logan corrected.

“Eh, bullsh*t.” Remus waved a hand and flopped onto the carpet, kicking a leg in the air. “Thomas is head over heels over d*ck, googoo gaga googly eyes, a small chicken in the woodchipper of love.”

Virgil winced. “The what now--”

“Which means they’re as good as f*cking!” Remus grinned. “Which means we gotta celebrate!”

“Oh, no.” Roman stared at Remus in abject horror. “You’re--don’t you _dare_ start talking about Nico like--like--” _  
_

“Like what?” Remus put on an innocent face that fooled nobody. “All I’m saying is, I’d main _him_ in Super Smash Bros--”

“Nope.” Virgil waved his hands in front of his face and squeezed his eyes shut. “Nope, nope, nope--”

“We’re done here,” Roman announced. “We are _done_ here.”

Logan just sighed.

“Guys, c’mon, we were all thinking it!” Remus rolled his eyes. “He’s a hottie, a hunk, a piece of meat, and I would commit murder for him!”

“Please don’t,” Logan said.

“I would!” Remus sat up and stared at them intently. “I would cut a million throats and watch the blood pool from the bodies if it made him smile. Okay? Okay.”

“You’d do that anyway,” Virgil pointed out.

“It’s _different!”_ Remus folded his arms. “You don’t get it. But I would--I would drive a tractor into a wall for him. I would jump out of a moving car.”

Roman shook his head. “I fail to see how this is different than your usual modus operandi.”

“Because _him!”_ Remus waved wildly at everything. “Him! He’s all, you know--yeah!”

“Yeah,” Virgil agreed reluctantly.

“Yeah,” Logan sighed.

“Yeah!” Roman squealed.

“All I’m saying is,” Remus said, doing another full-body shimmy that made his frills wiggle, “he’s cute, okay? He’s cute. And I would die for him.”

“Then perish,” Virgil said, because he had to.

“He _is_ cute,” Roman said slowly, like he’d just realized Remus was speaking English.

“He is cute!” Remus squealed. “He’s all--and you know--and--”

Then he screeched. A full-blown foghorn wail. Virgil clapped his hands over his ears and Logan scrambled back instinctively. Remus wasn’t fazed. He vibrated up and down and squealed long and loud, eyes squeezed shut, hands in the air. It barely dipped in register and volume, and Virgil wondered if Remus needed to breathe. Wait, of course he didn’t. Which meant he could do this as long as he liked.

And it was _really loud_ , and it was also--kind of--sweet?

Virgil cracked both his eyes open. Remus was still wiggling and squealing and a smile was threatening to burst off his face. Logan was rolling his eyes but giving Remus an indulgent smile. And Roman was looking at Remus with wide eyes, but not the usual _ew-Remus-wtf_ eyes. And Roman was smiling, too.

And Roman squealed.

Roman squealed just as loud as Remus and managing to hit an even higher note. His hands came up and shook in front of his face, and he _squealed_.

Remus blinked and looked almost shocked, before his smile grew somehow even wider. And they both squealed. It was so loud and should have put Virgil so far on edge that he’d be falling off it.

And yeah, it was loud. Earsplitting, in fact. But not really that _bad_. Actually, it was kind of nice to see them smiling. Squealing. Vibrating at the speed of light and filling the room with happy noises.

Logan caught Virgil’s eye and shrugged. Virgil shrugged back, half-smiling.

Slowly, the squealing morphed into words. Garbled, choppy words, but words regardless.

“He’s--cute--I can’t handle--” Roman waved his hands wildly. “Cute! Pretty! I wanna--sweet-- _him!”_

Remus nodded so much that he looked like a bobblehead doll. “Cute good very nice.”

“Very _very_ nice!”

“Cute!”

“ _Cute!”_

“Cute,” Virgil added, grinning.

He got a double serving of bright smiles for that. Logan was chuckling to himself, watching Remus and Roman rock back and forth and seemingly communicate through singular words, hand motions, and occasional squeals. Virgil flapped along in rhythm and got another few glittering smiles, and Logan scribbled in his notebook, chewing on the top of the pen and even giving a few encouraging murmurs when Remus and Roman paused in their squealing.

Then footsteps.

Patton dashed into the room, Janus at his heels. “I heard screaming?”

Both Logan and Roman looked like they’d been hit in the face with a pan. Virgil probably looked the same. Remus grinned and waved, but even his hand fell to the ground soon enough.

Dead silence. For an achingly long time, so long that Virgil considered just ducking out. He settled for worrying the laces of his hoodie and staring at his sneakers.

“We were--” Logan opened his mouth, closed it, and swallowed. “There’s no cause for alarm. Roman and Remus were simply excited--”

“Date!” Remus yelled, jumping up and practically tackling Janus. “ _Date_ , Janny, and he’s a _hottie_ \--”

“Yes, _do_ suffocate me, I didn’t have anything planned.” Janus pried Remus off with a grin. “Congratulations on your boy toy.”

“You helped!” Remus pointed out.

“Hardly,” Janus said, but Virgil knew him well enough to see the proud edge to his smile. “Virgil and Roman clearly had _everything_ under control.”

“Hey,” Roman grumbled.

“He’s so cute!” Remus squealed.

“He’s dreamy,” Patton agreed, sighing.

“He’s certainly--” Janus coughed, his face red and scales gleaming. “He’s. Um.”

“Don’t hide it,” Remus teased, bumping Janus in the shoulder. “We all see your hands flapping.”

Janus looked down at his extra hands, which were twisting in several patterns and shaking around his sides. “Ah. Well--”

“It’s cute,” Patton gushed, doing a twirl and flap of his own. “Everyone’s happy, it’s okay--”

Janus glanced at Roman--and Logan, still silent on the couch--and Virgil, who looked away. His eyebrows pulled together.

“Well, I’ll certainly stick around for the aftermath,” Janus said, stepping away delicately and giving them all one last loaded look. “Have fun, and congratulations.”

“Jan,” Patton said, speaking up for the first time and grabbing his elbow. Janus turned to look at him and they seemed to have a whole conversation with just their eyes. Virgil’s stomach twisted at the sight--they knew each other so _well_ now, and it had only been weeks, weeks of Patton and Janus getting close and Virgil skirting at the edges of their happiness, weeks of being alone--

The happiness in Virgil’s chest flickered and faded.

“It’s good news,” Logan said, and everyone jerked around to look at him. His hands were folded in his lap, but his voice was strong. “We should all celebrate.”

“Sure,” Roman said, an edge to his words, “doesn’t mean we have to do it all _together_ \--”

“We’re all parts of Thomas,” Logan said quietly. “We all helped make this happen.”

Roman let out a long sigh.

“Only if you’re comfortable,” Logan added, his eyes skimming over Patton and Janus and resting on Virgil. Virgil squirmed under the eye contact, his hands flying over his sleeves, mind racing.

No. He didn’t want them there. He was celebrating and things would just get weird.

He’d thought that about Remus too, though.

“Do what you want,” Roman said, his voice defeated but just a bit soft. “It’s a big day. I get it.”

Janus swallowed. “I don’t want to--”

“Special occasion, right?” Roman rubbed at his arm. “And you did--try to help. With all those...lies. And I don’t like them. But--like Logan said. You tried to help. And now we have a date, and...it’s only fair that you get to stay.”

“Fair,” Janus repeated, an unspoken question hanging off it.

“Yeah.” Roman looked up, his eyes firm. “You’re a part of Thomas, and for today, let’s--put off all the overthinking?”

Janus pressed his lips together, and for a moment of a second, something soft flashed in his eyes.

“Sounds like a plan,” he said, his face smoothing over.

“Both of you,” Roman added, his voice stretching even thinner as his eyes flickered over to Patton. “That--goes for both of you.”

Patton stared at Roman, eyes wide, hand pressed to his mouth.

“We’re celebrating,” Roman said, waving his hands in something that didn’t really seem all that celebratory. “I’m not going to ruin the moment.”

“You didn’t ruin anything,” Logan said, giving Roman a loaded look. “Again, if you’re truly uncomfortable with this--”

“I’m ready if you’re ready.” Roman took a deep breath and looked at Virgil, a smile flickering at the edge of his mouth. “Are we ready?”

Virgil swallowed.

Patton and Janus were staring at him, Patton’s expression achingly soft, achingly hesitant. Janus was more guarded, but Virgil could see the hesitance there--he knew Janus so well. And Virgil had changed, and so had Janus, but if they’d managed it once upon a time, that meant they weren’t completely screwed now.

And Patton. Patton, who was practically glowing, freckles on fire and eyes bright. He liked this guy. Of course he did. He was Thomas’ heart--and once again, Patton was falling. Who would Virgil be to leave him stranded? To not catch him, to not steady him, to not pick up the pieces.

And Logan. Logan was smiling a bit, giving Virgil a reassuring look. So supportive. Logan would support Thomas all the way, and Logan would make sure things worked out, and Logan would be their anchor in the storm. Virgil trusted Logan more than he’d trusted anyone in his life.

And Remus. Grinning, bouncing, hanging off Janus’ arm.

And Roman. Smile slowly returning.

Virgil had messed up so many times, and so had they. And here was another chance to do things right. Another chance at happiness.

Sure, it might crash and burn, but that was a worry for later.

“I’m ready,” Virgil said, and found he meant it.

“We can be ready,” Patton agreed, smiling. “If we try.”

And Virgil would try, again and again and again. He’d throw himself into danger and throw Thomas into danger. He’d take every leap and chance and opportunity. He’d fight the _world_ for them--and of course their love needed work, it was rough around the edges and thin in the middles, but it was still good. Still worth another shot.

“Party time?” Roman asked.

“Party time,” Remus agreed.

And that night, gathered around the kitchen table with old streamers and a makeshift pie, almost nobody argued. Almost nobody fought. Janus and Virgil exchanged nods, Janus and Roman kept their distance, and Logan and Patton cooked together, bumping shoulders and smiling.

Not perfect. Not real. Not everything Virgil could dream of. Not yet.

The world was wide open, though, and one day this could be more than his fantasies.

It was a new beginning, and Virgil, for once, wasn’t afraid.


End file.
